What is the difference between the Coronet Head and the Braided Hair Cents? Coronet Heads are listed from 1816-1857 but the obverse face changes once you get into the 1840's yet they are priced in the same category. It's a little confusing when looking up prices when I have two different looking coins listed under the same category of Large Cents.
I've always thought there's something odd about how they classify these as well. In theory, there are two main types... Matron Head (1816-1839) Braided Hair (1839-1857) The "Matron" is sometimes called "Coronet" and there's "Silly Head" and "Booby Head" varieties. I don't think this is all of them, but here's a few...
The difference is in the portrait of Liberty used. The types are named for this feature of the large cent. However, the real answer to your question is not quite so simple, so please read on... The Redbook defines three major types of Coronet and Braided Hair Large Cents: 1) Coronet Head 1816-37 2) Matron Head Modified 1837-39 3) Braided Hair 1839-57 Once one is well versed in the portrait of liberty and how it changes across these types, it only takes a passing glance to identify the type. Even the inexperienced need only have a Redbook handy as nice pictures are provided of all the major types, and even many major varieties. However, the Redbook assignment of three types seems rather abribtrary to me, and upon closer inspection it is realized that there is no real true break between these types except when the design stabilizes with that of the 1840. Before that, form 1818 to 1839, there's more of a gradual change of the design from the Coronet head of 1816 to the Braided Hair of 1857. The years 1837, 1838, and 1839 were where the majority of this change took place, and a sampling of these year's major varites will show this design progression, however the Redbook lumps them all together and call them "matron head modified", or as I like to call them, "the transitional years", because in these years the design changed from the earlier coronet head of the 1830s and turned it into the "petite head" of 1840 which changed only subtly through 1857. There are a few named varieties in the transitional year of 1839. These include "Booby Head", "Silly Head", "Petite Head", and "Head of 1838". There was also a transition between the "Old Head" in 1835 to the "Young Head" (aka Head of 1836). The changes to the Braided hair from 1839-1857 are much more subtle, but a side-by-side photo of an 1839 and a 1857 will show clearly some differences. Here are a few large cents from my collection that shows how the portrait of liberty changed through this timeframe: Hope this helps...Mike p.s. to make matters even more confusing, there are differences in the reverses. The 1816-28, 1829-37 (Medium letters), 1837-39 (Small Letters), and 1840-57. The 1840-57 (and a few 1839 types) don't have a horizontal line below CENT on the reverse, all the types earlier have this feature.
Plus the earlier years are a little bigger in diam. I could always tell when detecting when I had an older large cent because they felt a little thinner and a bit larger. Jim
